Quote:Quite possibly. I have all but gone hoarse screaming that Marqise is not an outside WR in the NFL. As we saw on his TD in preseason week 2, he would be best used in the slot when he can use his short area quickness (his only above average trait) to get linebackers and nicklebacks turned IMO.
Lol you're still talking crap? Even after being wrong about a countless number of things on draft night and your evaluations? Just stop
I hope Hurns keeps up his play and that's the case. If not, we have Sanders too. Plus, until he's cut, I will hold out hope that Blackmon returns. Not counting on it, just hoping. That would be one sweet receiving corps for Bortles!
Quote:No they aren't.
Exceptions mean there is a rule... and there is no rule.
They are two examples... and if I really felt like it I'm sure I could dig through the internet to find more examples of smaller receivers playing outside and being successful. But you have the point to prove not me.
Wide receivers can, will, and do, line up all over the field. Outside, left, right, slot, second slot..... hell even the back field.
You try to create mismatches against the D.
It isn't like corners are big guys... so you don't really NEED an extra 4-6 inches of height. Does it help? Sure. But WRs and pass catching TEs can, and do, line up all over.
Your skills and the defenses you face decide where the coaches put you. Not your height, weight, age, etc.
Kane, you are dead right on this but you are talking to two walls.
Here is a great breakdown of how Calvin Johnson is used all over the field. Calvin "6'5 236" Johnson lines up out of the slot quite a bit.
Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions keep opposing defenses guessing
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000...s-guessing
"The slot receiver is the most difficult pass catcher to defend because he has a "two-way go" on every play. Defenders can't play with proper leverage on the slot receiver, as most offenses feature a series of option routes, which allow the receiver to break opposite the defender's position at the top of the route.
With Johnson in the slot, the Lions are able to attack the middle of the field with their most dangerous playmaker. This tactic enables them to exploit some of the double-coverage schemes that defensive coordinators use to stop dangerous receivers on the outside, leading to more single-high safety looks from the defense."
Again, my argument isn't really against big men playing slot WR ---- its when doing so you then are forcing smallish WR to the outside.
Now some of my predjudice on this is probably the result from watching the Jags in the past force a square peg into a round hole with constantly playing Mike Thomas on the outside, when he was obviously not a good fit there.
If you have smaller WR that play like Antonio Brown or Steve Smith and have either the quickness to continuously beat their assignment or the strength/ leaping ability to beat their assignment then I have no problem with it. But those 2 are few and far between.
Quote:You dont put big receivers in the slot. You put them where they can make contested catches on the outside. The slot position is for speedy guys who can get open running horizontally and make yards after the catch. With that said, Slot receivers also can still go downfield in the middle. Something Lee and Shorts are particularly great at. If Lee starts to catch on, I expect Shorts to be traded or let hit the open market (which would be a waste of a free draft pick via trade)
Sig Stats: Slot Receivers
https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/20...receivers/
"A role which had become much more prominent in recent years, slot receivers come in all shapes and sizes, with different teams taking various approaches to get their playmakers in space. How important do some teams value having a strong presence in the slot these days?"
2013 NFL leaders in WR receiving yards (per route run) out of the slot position:
1. Anquan Boldin, 6'1 220, 40 receptions 637 yards. (2.88 yards per route run)
2. Vincent Jackson, 6'5 230, 38 receptions 514 yards. (2.44)
3. T.Y. Hilton, 5'9 178, 46 receptions 516 yards. (2.20)
4. Brandon Marshall, 6'4 230, 39 receptions 566 yards. (2.13)
5. Marques Colston, 6'4 225, 44 receptions 590 yards. (1.97)
"The common theme amongst our Top 5 here is size, with T.Y. Hilton the only player smaller than 6-foot-1."
Quote:Again, my argument isn't really against big men playing slot WR ---- its when doing so you then are forcing smallish WR to the outside.
Now some of my predjudice on this is probably the result from watching the Jags in the past force a square peg into a round hole with constantly playing Mike Thomas on the outside, when he was obviously not a good fit there.
If you have smaller WR that play like Antonio Brown or Steve Smith and have either the quickness to continuously beat their assignment or the strength/ leaping ability to beat their assignment then I have no problem with it. But those 2 are few and far between.
The points people are making is that you don't have to regulate a player to JUST a slot receiver or JUST an outside receiver. The player Marqise Lee reminds me of the most is Greg Jennings. Living up in Packer Land, I've watched a lot of Jennings over the years. I'd say he probably took 60% of his snaps from the slot position and the rest split out. The Packers (like a lot of teams) switch up there WR positions to keep defenses guessing. Here is a good article on that from when Jennings use to be on Green Bay's roster:
Several Packer Receivers To Rotate At Productive Slot Position
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/101130344.html
Titans will creative with use of Wright
http://espn.go.com/blog/tennessee-titans...-of-wright
"In 2013, he was in the slot 59 percent of the time, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
The Titans need to be more creative with Wright, allowing him to line up outside some, run deep more often, get the ball in some different ways."
Quote:Maybe on occasion. That said I saw him lineup up outside predominantly over most of the preseason.
Um, what preseason games have you watched that had Matthews lining up predominantly on the outside?
http://www.nj.com/eagles/index.ssf/2014/..._ever.html
"We're probably going to start him inside. If we've got Jerry Maclin on one side and (Riley Cooper) on the other side and throw him inside, and he has experience. So I think the kind of thing that would separate him from some other people is he does have experience."
http://articles.philly.com/2014-07-30/sp...-receivers
"Kelly obviously believes that he can get more production out of the slot or he wouldn't have let the still-productive Avant walk away. Matthews will have a learning curve, but he's bigger (6-foot-3, 212 pounds) and faster.
And Kelly sees mismatch potential with Matthews quicker than most linebackers and larger than most safeties and slot cornerbacks. He also prefers a big inside receiver who can run-block."
Quote:Damn I thought Lee couldnt beat anyone deep. Whelp
And he got deep while lined up from the slot, exactly like I said he should. It's so easy to see that's how he can win.
Quote:Lol you're still talking crap? Even after being wrong about a countless number of things on draft night and your evaluations? Just stop
Actually, nvm...not worth dealing w/ the troll.
Seriously dudes. When I meant "big receivers". I mean 6"3+. and as TMD stated multiple times, There are variety plays that have the outside receivers line up in the slot as a way to trick opposing defenses.
Quote:Seriously dudes. When I meant "big receivers". I mean 6"3+. and as TMD stated multiple times, There are variety plays that have the outside receivers line up in the slot as a way to trick opposing defenses.
Vincent Jackson, Brandon Marshall, and Marques Colston are all big receivers (6'4"+) and are three of the top 5 receivers from the slot position. None of them (or Boldin) are considered "speedy guys who get open horizontally" like you stated in your previous post.
Quote:And he got deep while lined up from the slot, exactly like I said he should. It's so easy to see that's how he can win.
It's better to move guys around then to have the same guy play the slot every time out of the huddle. Like I said, Marqise Lee has a very Greg-Jennings-esque skill set, playing style, and body type. The Jaguars could use Lee like the Packers used Jennings (both in the slot and split out wide) and that could be very successful.
Quote:It's better to move guys around then to have the same guy play the slot every time out of the huddle.
I agree with this, if the guy can win in those facets. I just simply don't think Lee is going to be able to.